


Something else altogether

by miss_Splendora



Category: Welcome to Night Vale
Genre: Dorks in Love, M/M, POV Carlos (Welcome to Night Vale), Post-Episode: e016 The Phone Call, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-23
Updated: 2014-12-23
Packaged: 2018-03-02 22:38:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,554
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2828543
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/miss_Splendora/pseuds/miss_Splendora
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Sometimes things seem so strange, or malevolent, and then you find that, underneath, it was something else altogether, something pure, and innocent."</p><p>OR</p><p>Carlos goes for a coffee with Cecil and changes his mind about some things.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Something else altogether

Carlos dreaded the meeting with Cecil. He listened to a recording of his latest show and was perplexed by what he'd heard. Apparently something had happened to him that he did not remember and even though he felt like the disconcerting memory loss should be taking the first place in his mind, the thought that the radio host was apparently convinced Carlos had asked him out on a date was infinitely more terrifying.

How could Cecil possibly interpret his phone messages as romantic? He heard himself on air and he thought he made himself very clear. He was worried and his concerns were strictly professional. He was sure he did not lead Cecil on. How could Cecil think it was a date?

It was infuriating. As if Cecil's well publicized crush was not bad enough in itself, he was also apparently unable to take a hint or read social cues at all. How could he hear his alarmed voice and think, yes, that's a sound of a man who wants a date. It was insulting.

So Carlos made a resolution. He would go, meet Cecil, make it painfully clear he was not interested in having a local celebrity stalking him, and then talk about the clocks. He would be rude and brutal, if he had to, because this whole situation was nothing he needed to deal with on top of everything else that was screwed up in this town.

He came in intentionally late a couple of minutes , to send the right message. Cecil was already sitting there, sipping his coffee and nervously fiddling with the spoon in his drink. His eyes lit up (figuratively speaking) when he saw Carlos come in.

“Hello,” he said, stood up and politely shook Carlos' hand. “I'm glad you showed up! Please, take a seat.”

“I'm not meeting you for personal reasons!” Carlos blurted out as he sat down. Well, he'd hoped to say it more smoothly but there it was. He watched Cecil's expression carefully, and sure, the other man looked surprised but it was not a surprised look of a person who heard any new information. It was a surprise of a man who lived his whole life in the desert and was just told it's hot and dry there.

“Well, yes, I know,” Cecil just said and took his seat across the table from Carlos. “You wanted to talk about the clocks, right?”

Carlos looked at him, not sure if he was being mocked. He took a deep breath before continuing.

“Yes, but... Listen, I heard your broadcast yesterday and I just want to make it clear that this was not intended as a date on my part. I mean... I am too focused on science anyway to be dating right now, so...”

“Oh,” Cecil replied and blushed slightly. Carlos studied the expression on his face. He was visibly embarrassed. “I didn't know you listened to my show,” Cecil continued, uncomfortable. He didn't seem ashamed or scared, just... sorry? That didn't seem right and Carlos frowned.

“Well, my colleagues had me listen to a recording after you'd finished. If I knew beforehand that you thought it was something else than a professional meeting, I would have made myself clearer on the phone.”

“Oh, no, don't worry, you were very clear on the phone,” Cecil rushed to assure him, apologetically. _Apologetically_? Was Carlos reading the situation right? He felt like an asshole but knew he had to brave through this situation if he wanted to ever be able to use Cecil's show to spread any news to the town.

“Still, since you clearly thought this was a date, I just thought I'd clarify that from the start.”

“Oh, my dear, thoughtful, perfect Carlos,” Cecil replied and looked at the scientist with a sad smile. “You needn't worry about that. I knew it wasn't a date, obviously.”

Carlos frowned harder.

“But you said...”

“What else was I supposed to say? I was on air,” Cecil said softly, as if it was all the explanation needed. Carlos did not understand at all.

“So, you want your listeners to _think_ we are dating? Is it like... a status thing?” Carlos asked and heard a hint of irritation in his voice. Well, it was an insulting thought.

“No, nothing like that! It's just...” Cecil sighed, ran a hand through his hair and looked around. “Well, you were obviously in some sort of trouble and needed to talk, but I couldn't mention _that_ on air, could I? I couldn't draw that sort of attention to you. I shouldn't have played your messages live, I admit, but I just got... well, I got excited to hear from you and I wasn't sure what it was that you wanted to talk about, but when I heard... Well, I thought that if I just focus on the fact you want to meet me and spin it into a date, then nobody would bother you about that strange incident.” Cecil smiled kindly at Carlos who just looked at the other man, trying to comprehend what he was hearing. “You know, not to cause you more distress. You just can't attract this sort of attention to yourself in this town. And since I put you in this situation, I knew I had to get you out of it, fast. So, a date. A good excuse, right?”

Carlos just stared. They sat in silence for a while. Cecil sipped his coffee and kept fiddling with the spoon. Carlos just tried to process new information.

“So...” he managed, finally. “So all this time, whenever you said you lo- you had a crush on me... and when you complimented me on air... It was all just a big distraction tactic?” That would actually be pretty thoughtful, Carlos mused. Citizens of Night Vale did tend to fixate on Cecil's affection towards him in the past few months and be more lenient towards his scientific needs because of that. That would be a nice thing on Cecil's part, even if unusual. Still, Carlos realized he couldn't help feeling disappointed, somehow.

“Oh, no!” Cecil exclaimed, blushing again. “That was all me telling the truth. As a reporter, I report events factually whenever possible, Carlos! So those were just my observations regarding your presence in our little town and my own insignificant life.” When Carlos just stared, Cecil continued. “But you don't seem to be interested in me, and that's fine, and I don't want to press or presume, or anything like that. My feelings are entirely my problem and I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable.”

“So...” Carlos repeated himself, dumbstruck. His head was spinning. He had been ready for tears, for begging, for anger, he had been ready to fight off a mob willing to shun him out of the town. He was not ready for a reasonable and level-headed explanation for Cecil's behavior. “You are saying that... You knew it wasn't a date.” Cecil nodded. “And you were just pretending to think that while on air.” Cecil nodded again. “All to protect me from... unpleasant repercussions, should people focus on the other parts of my messages.”

“Exactly!” Cecil answered eagerly.

“And you did that even though you genuinely were kind of hoping I would ask you out and knowing that I probably wouldn't.”

Cecil beamed at him happily.

“I'm glad we cleared that up!” he said.

“I see,” Carlos said faintly and leaned back into his seat. This was not what he was expecting _at all._

He looked at Cecil carefully again. The radio host still looked tense and uncomfortable but did not seem to feel bad for himself. His body language merely expressed concern for Carlos. His words expressed no self pity, just concern for Carlos. His actions expressed no hidden motives for his own benefit, just concern for Carlos. And Carlos was, frankly speaking, overwhelmed by it all. He did not know how to react to that. He was not ready for such an unselfish affection.

“Thank you,” he said simply.

“You're welcome! So, the clocks? They are weird?” Cecil said helpfully and Carlos nodded.

He'd misunderstood Cecil so much, he realized with a pang of shame in his gut. He thought he was dangerous or crazy or bothersome when he actually was understanding and caring, and okay, still slightly creepy and intense, but... Well, but in other circumstances he might have been everything Carlos ever looked for in a man.

Cecil seemed perfect at this moment and while Carlos was not one to fall in love instantly, he felt his heart beating faster when he talked about the clocks, and knew it was not just because of the fascinating science behind them. It was because of that intense gaze upon him, because of the ears listening carefully to his every word, despite clearly not understanding half of what he was saying, and because those lips forming a surprised “oh?” after every other sentence formed a perfect circle.

For the first time, Carlos genuinely felt he had any real support in this strange town and it felt good. It felt like something he could get used to.

A couple of hours later, when he was leaving the coffee place, he was smiling. Maybe he should reevaluate his stance on Cecil Palmer and dating on this assignment, after all.

**Author's Note:**

> So, as with most of my fanfics, this is just me dealing with something that's bugged me for a while. Why wouldn't Cecil report on what he clearly thought was a date with Carlos? Well, now I have an answer and I can stick with it and be content.
> 
> It hasn't been beta-read so pointing out any typos or grammar mistakes, or just general constructive criticism is more than welcome!


End file.
